Family Safeguarding Mental Health Practitioner

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Southampton City Council are working in partnership in the delivery of a New Family Safeguarding service supporting families across the city of Southampton. We are looking for experienced mental health nurse, social worker or occupational therapist that has a specialist interest in safeguarding and wants to be part of a new and developing service. Nationally this integrated model has proven to produce great outcomes for children and their families. The Family Safeguarding team takes a multi-disciplinary approach to working with families, the team includes Children and Families Social Workers and Family Support Practitioners, working alongside Adult Mental Health Specialist Workers to help and support addressing issues associated with parental domestic abuse, substance misuse and mental ill-health. We recognise that in order to support families to make changes that are helpful and long lasting, we need to work with all the members of the family.

Through recognition that the needs and desired outcomes of each person in the family affect each other, we are more likely to support and enable sustainable change. Family Safeguarding teams work with children aged pre-birth to 17 where the issues relate to abuse and neglect of the children by their families. You must have relevant expereince in mental health and be skilled at delivering group based and individual interventions which are psychologically informed., The Mental Health practitioner will be expected to hold a caseload, they will work in partnership with other multi-agency partners who will have a role in supporting the wider family. The practitioner will need to be confident in assessing and formulating care and treatment plans. They will deliver evidence-based interventions to adults with complex mental health needs. The practitioner should be confident in delivering individual and group-based interventions.

Attendance at multi agency case reviews will be an essential part of the role and being confident to formulate collaborative risk and safety plans is essential.

Practitioner should be confident in using strategies such as motivational interviewing and solution focused approaches when working with adults. Knowledge of the Care Act, Mental Health law and Safeguarding is essential as its application in practice will be an everyday part of the role.

Southern Health is one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health and learning disabilities, as well as offering physical health community-based services.

With a workforce of more than 7000 and a footprint that spans more than 200 sites across Hampshire, we're committed to providing the best possible healthcare, reaching a range of diverse communities, whilst placing patients and staff at the forefront of all our endeavours.

We are currently working closely with other NHS Trusts to combine all our collective community, mental health, and learning disability services, with the plan to create a new larger, more integrated and accessible organisation.

The transformation will happen in stages; Hampshire CAMHS, part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust joined Southern Health in February 2024, with Isle of Wight NHS Trust mental health and community services transitioning across in May 2024. The final combination of Southern Health and Solent NHS Trust services is expected in late 2024, when our new organisation, to be known as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be formed.

Our new Trust will continue to cater to the unique needs of different communities, making healthcare across the county more accessible, as well as offering staff more opportunities for career development, training and partnership working.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare in Hampshire.